Bob Baker information

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Thanks Pellicle. I had suspected as much. He truly was a heart valve pioneer. I had gotten to know him shortly after I joined this forum (he used to post often) but had lost contact with him in the recent past. RIP Bob.
 
Agian;n879458 said:
Sad. 67 isn't 'old' anymore.

True, but if you look at his operation history you can see not only the influence of re operations, but of the advances we all take advantage of today
 
Agian;n879458 said:
Sad. 67 isn't 'old' anymore.

That's true, but remember that Bob lived for 57 years AFTER surgery...he was 10 when he had AVR.......and only the 5th person to have AVR surgery. BTW, in l960 age 67 would have been considered a pretty successful life expectancy.......and anyone with a severe heart defect probably would have jumped at the chance to live to 67.
 
dick0236 I agree. And you've given me a fresh look at my husband, who would have been 66 today. He died at 49. He had surgery at 15 to bisect one of the cusps on his bicuspid valve. He was so emotionally affected by that surgery because no one had prepared him that he refused to see doctors as an adult. The autopsy did not reveal a definitive cause of death but I'm certain it was related to his heart. You've helped me see that surgery extended his life and gave me the chance to meet him. And love him and be loved by him. Thank you.
 
honeybunny So very sad that people didn’t realise years ago that children should be prepared for surgery, emotionally prepared that is. Nowadays they would hopefully better prepare a young person. Still, like you say, you were able to meet your husband and spend time with him which you wouldn’t have if he hadn’t had that surgery. I’ve read about the pioneers of heart valve surgery and it’s really only since the 1950s that they began to have real success with open heart surgery.
 
Hi

honeybunny;n879462 said:
dick0236
...He died at 49. He had surgery at 15 to bisect one of the cusps on his bicuspid valve. He was so emotionally affected by that surgery because no one had prepared him that he refused to see doctors as an adult.

I think this must vary from person to person, as much as does how useful we as individuals find the advice of counselling professionals (me, not so much). As you can well imagine there was no counselling for me or my mother and father back in 1974 either, maybe that wasn't bad.

I'm of the view that in hindsight I can see the emotional issues that it caused my mother. I spent a good amount of time sorting myself out in my teens too from the surgery, and the peripheral procedures (what we call angiogram was then completely different).

Nobody assisted or it seems gave a flying F. Sink or swim; all was up to the individual.

​​​​By my thirties I'd largely put things together and grokked them.

My view is that we all have emotional scars and baggage from the things in life that happen. Each deals with them as best they can.

I was lucky to be of the nature that I could bear the head winds which blew ..

Curiously I was reflecting this evening about life and how I don't enjoy the now as much as I could. How I feel cheated to have survived aneurysm and infection just to lose the one I loved in life, to remain imprisoned in life without her.

I reminded myself that had I not had access to that surgery in 1974, that I would have simply died as a teenager and never done what I went on to do, nor met my lovely wife. When we take such blessings as life giving surgery it always comes with some costs, as well as benefits.

I'm glad you had your time with your husband Bunny, as glad as I am I had my time with my wife. I wish he'd come to terms with his surgery better than he did, but then maybe he did as well as he could in the situation he was in and from.

My best wishes to you in your time.

"Storm on the horizon at a fork in the road"
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Tick tock says my beating clock.

Good night my friend

PS: I phrased my views on my Mum and her struggle with her child with BAV over here some years back here on VR http://www.valvereplacement.org/foru...328#post786328
 
pellicle , thanks. IMO, your wife’s death is tragic. Blessings upon you, my friend.

FYI, it’s not my intention to hijack this thread. Wish I could have known Bob Baker. Better yet, wish my husband could have known him. God bless him for being a pioneer.
 
I, too, remember RCB. He was here during my early years on the board, and was among the folks who helped me to realize that valve replacement was not an end to life, but a new beginning.
 

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